Envelop.



L. P. FLICKINGER, JR.

ENVELOP. APPLICATION FILED APB..29, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

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A TTORNEYS COLUMBIA ILANOGRAPH CO" WASHINGTON. D- CC L. FLICKINGER, JR.

BNVELOP.

' APPLICATION FILED .22.29, 1910.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

2 SHBBTSSHEBT B.

WITNESSES:

ATTORNEYS COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH 120., WASHINGTON. \tIv C- LOUIS IPOSTLETHWAITE FLICKINGER, JR., OF CHARLEROI, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 8, 1911.

Application filed April 29, 1910. Serial No. 558,431.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, LOUIS P. FLICKINGER, J r. a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Charleroi, in the county of Washington and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Envelop, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to envelops for use in correspondence and for other purposes, and has reference more particularly to an envelop having the back provided with a gap,-a closing flap having a tongue adapted to enter the gap, and a frangible fastener member, which is operable to draw the tongue into position in the gap when closing the envelop.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple, strong and durable envelop, which can be fashioned from paper or any other suitable material, which can be securely closed to prevent the contents of the envelop from escaping, and to render difficult the unauthorized opening of the envelop without detection, which obviates the necessity of glue or any other adhesive for fasten ing the closing flap of the envelop, which can be inexpensively manufactured, and which in general appearance is similar to the ordinary envelop now in use.

The invention consists in the construction and combination of parts to be more fully described hereinafter and particularly set forth in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures, and in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the blank from which one form of my envelop is fashioned; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the envelop blank partly folded to form the envelop; Fig. 3 1s a plan view of the envelop showing the same nearly completed; Fig. at is a plan view of the envelop completed and ready for use, the closing flap being open; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the envelop being closed; Fig. 6 is a plan view of the envelop showing the same closed and the frangible fastener member torn loose; Fig. 7 is a plan view of the envelop showing the same completely closed, and having a part broken away; and Fig. 8 is an enlarged transverse section of the closed envelop.

Before proceeding to a more detailed explanation of my invention, it should be clearly understood that while the same is particularly useful in connection with writing paper used for ordinary correspondence, it can also be advantageously applied to other purposes in which a paper or other container is employed, and is provided with a closing flap which is ordinarily glued or fastened in a similar manner. My envelop obviates the necessity of using an adhesive or the like for fastening the closing flap. The construction is such that the envelop can be manipulated, in closing it, with rapidity and without difficulty. Notwithstanding that no adhesive is employed, it is practically impossible to open the envelop after it has been once closed, even by the use of a suitable implement, without leaving unmistakable signs that unauthorized opening has been attempted.

I employ a frangible fastener, which has a dual purpose; first, it serves for introducing the tongue of the closing flap into the gap or slit of the envelop back, and, secondly, it serves to secure the tongue in position after the envelop is closed. The fastener has a part which at its junction with the remainder of the fastener is weakened, so that it can be easily pulled loose after the envelop has been closed.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, I employ a blank, which is shaped approximately as shown in Fig. 1 and from which the body of the envelop is formed. It comprises substantially a rectangular part 10 forming the front of the completed envelop. At the ends, the front has associated therewith tapered end flaps 11 and 12, separated from the front by fold lines 13. The end flaps are folded inwardly against the front when the envelop is formed, and each has near the upper edge a slit 14:. These slits register, when the end flaps are folded into juxtaposition, and form the gap of the back into which the tongue of the closing fiap, as will appear hereinafter, is introduced. Near the lower edges, the end flaps have slits 15, materially shorter than the slits 14:, and also adapted to register when middle, the outer flap 16 has spaced slits 18 and 18, which extend from near the fold 17 to the outer edge of the flap. They form the fastener member 19, which is integral with the flap 16, and is of elongated form of substantially uniform width, having an extension 20 forming a narrow strip slightly tapered and projecting materially beyond the edge of the flap 16. The part 20 and the body 19 of the fastener are connected by a weakened portion 21, formed by a line of perforations or the like, so that the part 20 can be torn loose from the rest of the fastener. This renders the fastener frangible inwardly of the edge of the flap 16. The member 19 has a plurality ofslits 22, ex tending longitudinally thereof, and terminating at their outer ends at the weakened part 21. These slits divide the fastener into a plurality of narrow strips, for a purpose which will appear hereinafter.

At the upper edge of the front part 10 of the blank is a preferably tapered extension 23, separated from the front by a suitable fold line 2&. The extension 23 constitutes the closing flap of the envelop. The part 23 has a substantially central tongue 25, the corners of which are rounded, and which has secured thereon a reinforcing layer 26, which substantially doubles the thick ness of the tongue. A keeper 27 of L form is fashioned in the tongue by correspondingly-shaped slits 28.

It will be understood that the flaps 11, 12 and 16, forming the back of the envelop, are suitably glued or otherwise secured in position. The fastener member is folded upon itself, forming a loop, and is inserted into the gaps formed by the slits 14 and 15, so that the end of the part 20 projects through the gap formed by the slits 15. The envelop is now ready for use.

When the inclosure has been inserted into the envelop, the closing flap is folded upon the back and the keeper 27 is slightly displaced so that it can he slipped through the loop formed by the upper end of the fastener, as shown in Fig. 5. The tongue is then slipped into the gap formed by the slits 1d and is drawn into position inside of/the back and extending into the gap, by means of the fastener. The parts are so proportioned thatthe lower edge of the closing tlap 23, when the envelop is closed, is adjacent to the upper edge of the outer flap 16, as is' shown most clearly in Figs. 6 and 7 When the envelop is closed, the part 20 of the fastener is pulled loose; it will easily break off at the weakened line 21. The loop formed by the remaining portion of the fastener securely holds the tongue 25 in position, the keeper 27 extending transversely through the end of the loop. The L shape of the keeper renders it extremely diliicult to displace it by inserting an implement for this purpose through one or the other of the gaps. The fastener at its lower end is formed into strips 22, and these render it practically impossible to push the fastener upwardly out or engagement with the tongue, to permit the opening of the envelop.

Havin thus described my invention, I claim. as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. An envelop having a body provided with a gap, a closing flap having a part adapted to enter said gap, and a fastener adapted to draw said part into said gap, said fastener having lines of severance, and at the ends of said lines a weakened part, whereby said fastener is frangible, and when broken, forms a plurality of narrow loops having free ends, and serving to hold said part in said gap.

2. An envelop having a body provided with a slit, a closing flap having a tongue adapted to enter said slit and provided with an L-shaped keeper, a fastener associated with said body and consisting of an elongated member of substantially uniform width folded upon itself to form a loop, and adapted to receive in the loop said L-shaped keeper, whereby said fastener can serve to draw said tongue into said slit, said fastener having a. plurality of lines of severance extending longitudinally thereof, and at the ends of said lines of severance a weakened part whereby said fastener is frangible, and when broken, forms a plurality of narrow loops having free ends, and serving to hold said tongue in said slit.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

LOUIS POSTLETHWAITE FLICKINGER, JR.

Witnesses L. S. JACK, Jr, Gno. H. KLINE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

